Brushing teeth regularly not only provides protection against tooth decay but can also help reduce an individual’s chances of developing heart disease, a new study has revealed.

In recent years, some studies indicated a link between gum disease and an increased likelihood of suffering from heart disease or a stroke, but they were failed to explain the connection.Now researchers from the University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand, have found that similar link between gum disease and heart disease but they claim their findings may help find ways to save lives.

The researchers discovered that the body's own defenses could "overreact" to the threat of gum disease and destroy its own protective cells. This chronic gum infection can lead to a build up of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the primary cause of cardiovascular attacks.

"This is a significant step towards a more complete understanding of heart disease and improving treatment and preventive therapies," said lead researcher Greg Seymour of the University of Otago in New Zealand.

"An understanding of all the possible risk factors could help lower the risk of developing heart disease and lead to a significant change in disease burden."

Seymour and colleagues reached their findings after analyzing the effects of brushing on a group of people with heart disease that can cause heart attacks and obstruct or blocks the flow of blood to the vital body organ.

Several theories have been put forward to explain the association between oral infection and heart disease, said Seymour. One of those theories is that certain proteins from bacteria initiate atherosclerosis and help it progress. Inorder to prove this theory, we looked at the role of heat shock proteins, which are produced by humans as well as bacteria, he added.

As the heat shock proteins are produced by both humans and bacteria, the immune system define may not be able to differentiate between those from the body and those from invading pathogens, leading it to launch an attack on its own proteins.

"When this happens, white blood cells can build up in the tissues of the arteries, causing atherosclerosis," said Seymour.

"We found white blood cells called T cells in the lesions of arteries in patients affected by atherosclerosis. These T cells were able to bind to host heat shock proteins as well as those from bacteria that cause gum disease. This suggests that the similarity between the proteins could be the link between oral infection and atherosclerosis," he added.

Presenting their findings at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting at Trinity College, Dublin, Seymour and colleagues said they believe their breakthrough research could alter health policy, underlining the significance of oral hygiene to overall well being.

Tooth decay, also known as dental decay and dental caries, is one of the most common health complaints in the world. Particularly common in children and young adults, the condition results from a bacterial infection of human teeth. The problem occurs when our teeth are frequently exposed to foods containing carbohydrates such as starches and sugars like soda pop, candy, cake and even sticky fruits.

Tooth decay is one of the most widespread health problems in the UK, where more than 2.5 million people suffer from heart disease.

The best way to keep your teeth healthy is to ensure that you clean them regularly to get rid of any plaque build up. Most dentists recommend that you clean your teeth at least twice a day. Using a toothpaste containing fluoride is probably a good idea as this provides the teeth with added protection from the effects of acid.

A new British research has found that Jam and jelly, flavorful preserves which are sure to delight everyone, can do more than just make breakfast delicious. They can help ward off cancer

According to an ongoing study by the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, both jam and jelly contain a basic ingredient called pectin that could help prevent the spread of cancer

Pectin, a natural fibre found in fruits and vegetables, is widely used in food processing. The modified pectin releases a molecular fragment that blocks all stages of cancer progression, the researchers explain.

Lead researcher Professor Vic Morris said in their research they have found that the modified pectin used in jellies and jams was likely to have the anti-cancer effect.

"The treatments used by the food industry to modify pectin would emphasize the release of the fragment we've identified," Prof Morris said. However, he added, "I expect you would get some protection from jam, but it's packed full of sugar. It might be better to get the same protection from fruit and vegetables which would give you other anti-cancer magic bullets as well."

The findings, published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal, support earlier research by Scientists at the University of Georgia in the US that suggested last year that pectin can slow the growth of prostate cancer

In the U.S. study, which was published in the journal Glycobiology last year, it had been established that up to 40 per cent of prostate cancer cells had died when exposed to pectin powder or heat-treated citrus pectin through a natural process called apoptosis, which halts the creation of tumors. In other studies, pectin also helped fight lung and colon cancers among rats and cell cultures.Nutritionists hail jam as an ideal snack to replace lost energy after a work-out, explaining that the fast-releasing sugars help people to get glycogen back into muscles quickly and efficiently.

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, two level teaspoons or 15g of jam on a slice of bread provides less than 10 percent of an adult's Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) of sugar and fewer than 40 calories.

Pectin supplements that claim to detoxify the body and have cancer-protecting properties are already sold on the internet. Worldwide production of pectin is estimated at 35,000 tonnes per annum. Most pectin comes from the peel of citrus fruits and apple pulp. Besides jams and jellies, the substance is also used to make confectionery, bakery fillings, yoghurts and milk drinks.

Curd is highly nutritious as it provides most of the vital substances required by us.

It provides :

>High quality proteins that can be easily digested.>Easily absorbable calcium than the one present in milk.>Replaces milk in case of lactose intolerance when the patients cannot digest lactose (A kind of sugar found in milk).>Fermentation of milk to curd increases the level of vitamins like niacin and folic acid.

Higher concentration of lactic acid bacteria in curd cut short the action of harmful microorganisms in the intestine and stop digestive disorders.

Curd helps us to fight against infections, asthma and gastro-intestinal disorders as they strengthen our immune system. intake of Curd without a break protects us against Brest, ovarian and colon cancer. Curd can lower the cholesterol present in blood. Regular intake of curd protects us from heart disease.

One should enjoy the benefits of curd- the wonder food by consuming atleast one cup per day.

Eating vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage are known to prevent breast cancer. But the mechanism by which the active substances in these vegetables inhibit cancer cell proliferation was unknown - until now.Leslie Wilson, professor of biochemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Mary Ann Jordan, adjunct professor in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, have shown how the healing power of these vegetables works at the cellular level.

“Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, can be protected against by eating cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and near relatives of cabbage such as broccoli and cauliflower,” said co-author Olga Azarenko, a graduate student at UCSB.

“These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which we believe to be responsible for the cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities in these vegetables. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates.

“Our paper focuses on the anti-cancer activity of one of these compounds, called sulforaphane, or SFN,” Azarenko added. “It has already been shown to reduce the incidence and rate of chemically induced mammary tumours in animals. It inhibits the growth of cultured human breast cancer cells, leading to cell death.”

The paper was published in this month’s journal Carcinogenesis.

Azarenko made the surprising discovery that SFN inhibits the proliferation of human tumour cells by a mechanism similar to the way that the anti-cancer drugs taxol and vincristine inhibit cell division during mitosis.

Mitosis is the process in which the duplicated DNA in the form of chromosomes is accurately distributed to the two daughter cells when a cell divides, said an UCSB statement.

“SFN may be an effective cancer preventive agent because it inhibits the proliferation and kills precancerous cells,” said Wilson. It is also possible that it could be used as an addition to taxol and other similar drugs to increase effective killing of tumour cells without increased toxicity.